


Silly-Face of the Mojave

by Star_Miya



Series: Lucky 18 [4]
Category: Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-19
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2019-05-25 12:48:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14977490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Star_Miya/pseuds/Star_Miya
Summary: Slices of life of a certain confused and confusing courier.Guest-starring: her friends. And enemies. And some other creatures.





	1. Silly-Face holds a wake

[OVERHEARD AND RECORDED BY ED-E ONE NIGHT AT LUCKY 38]

“Dearly beloved, we gathered here to say our goodbyes to the most tenacious ghost who was haunting this casino forever and whom I exorcised today…”

“You’ve already said that, boss. At the very beginning.”

“So what? It’s not a proper funeral banquet without a proper funeral speech. Or two. What’s wrong with two speeches? It’s way too quiet here anyway, so someone had to say something. Why isn’t ED-E playing the music any more?”

“Because no one’s been dancing since Veronica passed out.”

“She did? Good. I can say- I can say things now. I can say how I wish Christine was here! Why didn’t she want to come with me?”

“If that’s not meant for that girl’s ears, you have to kill us all now, you know? So we can’t tell her when she wakes up.”

“No more killing tonight! Here’s to the friends who are here with me - and those who aren’t! Wait, why isn’t Cynthia here to congratulate me? Why doesn’t she love New Vegas as much as I do?”

“Because it’s a nasty place, that’s why.”

“And- and why did that- that scum run away again? He should be here too. Witness my triumph with awe. Kneel and kiss the ground at my feet. All that stuff.”

“How about you stop flickering that lighter around alcohol? It’s not going to end well.”

“Listen to the nerd, kid. You don’t wanna waste good scotch and have it all burned.”

“That wasn’t exactly my point, but have it your way…”

“Ah, whatever. Everyone is leaving. The more I do to- for the Mojave, the more distant it appears.”

“That’s just your imagination. Here, have another drink.”

“Aww, thanks, Cass. You won’t leave, will you? You’re the- the actual Rose Red to my Snow White.”

“Oh fuck, here we go again…”

“But no, no more drinking tonight, Rose Red. It’s time to sleep, but this Snow White won’t be sleeping in her tomb. Because it’s not her tomb. Not really. Or is it?”

“Wait, are you getting philosophical? Guys, she’s getting philosophical, let’s take her to bed before she says something she will be ashamed of tomorrow.“

“No, but what if it’s really my tomb? What if I’m a ghost too? What if I didn’t survive that shot?”

“Don’t be silly, no one dies from a shot of whisky.”

“No, not this shot. That shot. That— Arcade? Arcade, you listening to me? Am I alive?”

“Judging by your behaviour you’re not only alive, but also intoxicated. What did I tell you about mixing alcohol with mentats?”

“But I don’t- I haven’t- I’m not- Just tell me if I’m alive. It’s important. I need solid scientific evidence.”

“Well, you are moving, talking and breathing- uh, phenols- so, scientifically speaking, you are alive.”

“You sure? You sure I’m not hallucinating you? All of you? All of this?”

“Even if you are, you’ll never know the truth.”

“Ah, what the hell. If it’s all just my dying dream, I may disappear any time. I may as well go to bed. Will you hold my hand when I go to sleep?”

“What? No. I’m going to my own bed. Right now. Even if it means walking through Freeside at night.”

“Why are you so heartless? Rose Red, you’ll hold my hand, won’t you?”

“I may consider it if you stop calling me that.”

“Aw, you’re no fun. You can’t be my dying dream. I would never hallucinate such uncooperative and insensitive people.”

“Of course you would. That’s exactly the kind of people you’re always drawn to.“

“Lies. Filthy lies. ED-E, baby, walk me home before I start crying, will you? I’m not speaking to those people again until I forgive them.”

“BEEP?”

[END OF RECORDING]


	2. Silly-Face looks for home

If you ask about her place to stay, she will immediately point at the Tops.

It’s the first place she goes to every time she’s back to the Strip. She plays cards with everyone and probably knows all the Chairmen - along with a half of the gamblers - by name. She may cheat a little, but afterwards she only laughs and returns the money to its previous owners. She happily watches every performance in the Aces Theatre. And then, when she’s tired, she just waves at everyone and heads to her suite, where she can sleep as long as she wants. Or take a long bath. Or talk to her loyal robot room-mate. Or reminiscence. Or make plans. For the future. Well, she’s not good at making plans, so she mostly reminiscences.

The Chairmen don’t even try to object any more. They’ve got used to her presence and realized she’s some kind of celebrity who should be feared and admired, so having her there is actually good for business. They don’t ask why she occupies their boss’ bedroom like she owns it - but they know she has something to do with his disappearance. So they make up things. They spread the most ridiculous rumours. And soon everyone in the Strip talks about it while she’s laughing on the inside.

If you ask about Lucky 38, she will try not to shudder.

Yes, the doors have opened and now she is welcome there. There is a suite waiting for her. The casino is luxurious and impressive and spacious enough for her to feel relatively comfortable. And yet she doesn’t, for she always feels like she’s being watched, even if there’s no securitron in sight. How disturbing it is, to feel so exposed in such an empty place…

She asks her companions to stay there, do whatever, bring more life to that place. Yes Cass, you can drink until you pass out. Yes ED-E, you can play music as loud as you want. Yes Veronica, you can dress up and dance all night. Yes Arcade, you can do some research for your friends from the Fort. No Lily, Leo can’t break stuff, but he can play the slots. Yes Raul, you can fix whatever needs fixing. She invites them inside, but she herself has never spent a night in the suite. Or just an evening. Because even when she’s there with her friends, she thinks about someone else, a ghost surrounded by his robots, alone and not alone. And then, consciously or not, she prefers to stay away from that haunted place - haunted by the ghost of a man who owns it. She knows the stories and she knows he’s always been a ghost - and whether she unplugs him or not, he’ll be there forever. Haunting.

Or maybe the whole casino is just a ghost of the past long gone…

One day she will open the door for the people of Vegas and they will bring it to life. But she’s not sure if she can ever call it home.


	3. Silly-Face digs him

A sleeping man usually looks vulnerable, while a sleeping woman looks like a predator, always watchful. Well, that’s what people say. Well, at least that’s what one specific person told her long time ago.

Now those words resound in her head and she can’t stop smirking, as she looks at the man lying next to her in crumpled sheets that smell of cologne and cigarette smoke. She studies him with her eyes half-closed, trying to figure him out, looking for a hidden catch.

She’s never been a master of reading people. Not that it could prevent her from playing cards; she just bluffs her way to victory and assumes everyone else if bluffing too. But this is another kind of game, unknown to her before - and she’s not sure what she was expecting. How come he let her in just like that, especially after that night in Goodsprings? All right, maybe her natural charm and persistence was enough to fool him… Or maybe the game still goes on and he’s holding an ace up his sleeve. Well, metaphorically speaking.

One should always watch out for danger - that’s another important lesson she learnt when she was younger. Which means she should quickly search the room, find what she came for and get out. Such a shame it would require leaving the comfortable bed, not to mention she might accidentally wake the man up.

Unless…

Her moves are slow and gentle - almost tender - when she reaches her hands to hold his face, but her grin is devilish. She knows how to snap someone’s neck, at least in theory. Hell, she’s pretty sure any other woman in her situation would not hesitate. And she would sneak out of the casino after setting the bed on fire. Any woman more vengeful - and less lazy - than her…

How long has it been since tiredness felt so pleasant? Perhaps too long. Perhaps her standards have lowered drastically since then. But for now, it’s just enough.

Still, she can go to sleep knowing that for a moment she held his life in her hands, which is an amusing thought. And who knows what he will do if he wakes up before her? She may never know what hit her - and for some unknown reason that thought amuses her too.

Soon she falls asleep, holding him like he wanted and not expecting anything. But when she opens her eyes in the morning and reads the note left on the pillow, she finds herself lost in thought again.

Looks like the game continues on indeed. What a strange time to be alive. What a strange time to be here.


End file.
